Gamepad Microphone

Abstract

A microphone can include at least two deformable elements anchored at a center and sharing a common backside cavity. The at least two deformable elements can be deformable under pressure. Vibration modes of the at least two deformable elements can be coupled such that a first vibration mode can be associated with a uniform movement of all deformable elements and a second vibration mode can be associated with out-of-phase movements among the deformable elements. Deformation of each deformable element can be detected via a sensing material in contact with each deformable element to form a sensing port. Thus, the microphone can include at least two sensing ports and signals from the at least two sensing ports can be subtracted using analog or digital electronics to yield a signal responsive primarily to a pressure gradient along an axis.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A microphone, comprising:
 at least two elements configured to deform under pressure, wherein a first vibration mode of the at least two elements is associated with uniform movements of the at least two elements, and wherein a second vibration mode of the at least two elements is associated with out-of-phase movements of the at least two elements; and   at least two sensing ports corresponding to the at least two elements, wherein signals from the at least two sensing ports can be subtracted to yield a signal responsive primarily to a pressure gradient along an axis.   
     
     
         2 . The microphone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least two elements are anchored at a center region.   
     
     
         3 . The microphone of  claim 2 ,
 wherein the at least two elements comprise at least two cantilever elements.   
     
     
         4 . The microphone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least two sensing ports comprise sensing material in contact with the at least two elements.   
     
     
         5 . The microphone of  claim 4 ,
 wherein the sensing material comprises a piezoelectric material.   
     
     
         6 . The microphone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least two elements share a common backside cavity.   
     
     
         7 . The microphone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the at least two elements comprise four elements; and   wherein the at least two sensing ports comprise four sensing ports.   
     
     
         8 . The microphone of  claim 1 , further comprising:
 circuitry configured to:
 subtract signals from the at least two sensing ports to yield a signal responsive primarily to a pressure gradient along an axis; and 
 derive alternative or additional output signals from the microphone. 
   
     
     
         9 . The microphone of  claim 1 ,
 wherein the signals are input signals to neural network, wherein the microphone further comprises the neural network, and wherein the input signals are input into the neural network to enhance a desired signal, to suppress one or more non-desired signals, or to train the neural network.   
     
     
         10 . A microphone package, comprising:
 a first substrate, comprising:
 a microphone die, comprising:
 at least two elements configured to deform under pressure, wherein a first vibration mode of the at least two elements is associated with uniform movements of the at least two elements, and wherein a second vibration mode of the at least two elements is associated with out-of-phase movements of the at least two elements; and 
 at least two sensing ports corresponding to the at least two elements, wherein signals from the at least two sensing ports can be subtracted to yield a signal responsive primarily to a pressure gradient along an axis; 
 
 an Application Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC); and 
 a sound inlet; 
   a second substrate; and   sidewalls; and   wherein the second substrate and sidewalls form a cavity.   
     
     
         11 . The microphone package of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the sound inlet is configured to allow the at least two elements to be in contact with and deform under external pressure and pressure gradient from a sound field external to the microphone package.   
     
     
         12 . The microphone package of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the signals from the at least two sensing ports are routed to the ASIC; and   wherein the ASIC is configured to:
 subtract signals from the at least two sensing ports to yield a signal responsive primarily to a pressure gradient along an axis; and 
 perform arithmetic operations on the signals from the at least two sensing ports to derive alternative or additional output signals. 
   
     
     
         13 . The microphone package of  claim 10 ,
 wherein signals outputted from the ASIC are routed to one or more Vertical Interconnect Accesses (VIAs) for availability at an external surface of the microphone package.   
     
     
         14 . The microphone package of  claim 10 ,
 wherein the ASIC comprises or is configured as a neural network;   wherein the signals from the at least two sensing ports are input signals to the neural network; and   wherein the neural network is configured to consume the input signals from the at least two sensing ports to enhance a desired signal, suppress one or more non-desired signals, or the neural network.   
     
     
         15 . A user equipment device (UE), comprising:
 at least one directional microphone;   a memory; and   a processor in communication with the memory and the one or more direction microphones and configured to digitally processes signals produced from the one at least one directional microphone, wherein the at least one directional microphone comprises:
 at least two elements configured to deform under pressure, wherein a first vibration mode of the at least two elements is associated with uniform movements of the at least two elements, and wherein a second vibration mode of the at least two elements is associated with out-of-phase movements of the at least two elements; and 
 at least two sensing ports corresponding to the at least two elements, wherein signals from the at least two sensing ports can be subtracted to yield a signal responsive primarily to a pressure gradient along an axis. 
   
     
     
         16 . The UE of  claim 15 ,
 wherein the pressure gradient comprises a first gradient along a first axis and a second gradient along a second axis that form a microphone plane along the axis and substantially parallel to an exterior surface of the UE.   
     
     
         17 . The UE of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the microphone plane is substantially normal to a display of the UE or to a plane housing a camera of the UE.   
     
     
         18 . The UE of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the at least one directional microphone further comprises circuitry configured to steer a first order directivity pattern using the signals.   
     
     
         19 . The UE of  claim 18 ,
 wherein the microphone plane is substantially parallel to a field of view of a camera of the UE.   
     
     
         20 . The UE of  claim 16 ,
 wherein the microphone plane is offset in a vertical direction substantially perpendicular to the exterior surface.